Cinnamon (Dalchini) and Honey (Shahed)

شہد اور دارچینی سے

شہد اور دارچینی کا مرکب بہت ساری بیماریوں کو دور کر سکتا ہے۔شہد بغیر کسی سائیڈ افیکٹ کے بہت سی بیماریوں کا علاج کر سکتا ہے۔نئے دور کی جدید تحقیق نے یہ بات ثابت کی ہے کہ شہد تمام بیماریوں کے علاج میں مفید ثابت ہوتا ہے ۔یہاں تک کہ اگر اسے ایک مخصوص مقدار میں شوگر کے مریض بھی لیں تو انکے لیے بھی یہ فائدہ مند ہے۔ہفت روزہ ورلڈ نیوز ،(کینیڈا کا ایک جریدہ ہے ) اسکے جنوری ١٧ ،١٩٩٥ کے شمارے میں مندرجہ ذیل بیماریوں کی لسٹ شائع ہوئی جنکا علاج شہد اور دارچینی سے عین ممکن ہے۔

دل کی بیماری میں؛
شہد اور دارچینے کا پیسٹ بنایئں اور اسے روٹی یا ڈبل روٹی پر جام ،جیلی کی بجائے لگایئں اور روزانہ کھایئں۔یہ کلسٹرول کو کم کرتا ہے شریانوں میں سے اور دل کے دورے سے بچاتا ہے۔جنھیں دل کا دورہ پہلے بھی پڑ چکا ہو وہ بھی اگر روزانہ یہ لیں تو یہ انہیں اگلے دورے سے دور رکھے گا۔اسکا روزانہ استعمال حبس دم میں مفید ہے اور دل کی دھڑکن کو بہتر بناتا ہے۔امریکہ اور کینیڈا کے مختلف نرسنگ ہومز میں مریضوں کو بہت کامیابی کے ساتھ اس طریقے سے ٹریٹ کیا جا رہا ہے۔جیسے جیسے عمر بڑھتی ہے دل کی شریانوں کی لچک میں کمی واقع ہوتی ہے اور رکاوٹ پیدا ہوتی ہے۔شہد اور دارچینی سے شریانوں کی قوت کو دوبارہ بحال ہوتی ہے۔

دانت کے درد میں؛
ایک چمچہ پسی دارچینی اور پانچ چمچے شہد کا ایک پیسٹ بنایئں۔ اور اسے اس دانت پر دن میں تین مرتبہ لگایئں جس میں درد ہو جب تک کے درد ختم نہ ہو جائے۔

بڑھے ہوئے کلسٹرول میں
دو کھانے کے چمچے شہد اور تین چائے کے چمچے پسی ہوئی دارچینی کو ١٦ اونس چائے کے پانی میں ملایئں۔اور کلسٹرول کے مریض کو دیں۔اس سے ١٠٪ کلسٹرول صرف دو گھنٹوں میں کم ہو جاتا ہے۔اگر اسے روزانہ دن میں تین مرتبہ لیا جائے تو پرانے سے پرانا مرض بھی ٹھیک ہو جاتا ہے اور اگر خالص شہد روزانہ کھانے کے ساتھ لیا جائے تو اس مرض میں بہت مفید ہے۔

اگر ٹھنڈ لگ جائے تو
ایک کھانے کا چمچہ نیم گرم شہد اور ایک چوتھائی چمچہ پسی دارچینی روزانہ دن میں تین مرتبہ لیں تو پرانے سے پرانا بلغم ،ٹھنڈ دور کرتا ہے اور سایئنس کو صاف کرتا ہے۔

معدے کے امراض میں
شہد ،دارچینی کے ساتھ لینے سے معدے کا درد بھی دور ہوتا ہے اور معدے کے السر کو بھی یہ جڑ سے اکھاڑ دیتا ہے۔

گیس کی تکلیف میں
انڈیا اور جاپان کی تحقیق کے مطابق شہد اور پسی دارچینی کو ایک ساتھ لینے سے گیس سمیت معدے کی جملہ تکالیف میں افاقہ ہوتا ہے۔

نظام معنون(immune system)کے لیے
شہد اور پسی دار چینی کا روزانہ استعمال نظام معنون کو مضبوط بناتا ہے اور مختلف جراثیم اور زہریلے مادوں سے محفوظ رکھتا ہے۔

وبائی زکام میں
تین دن تک نیم گرم شہد ایک کھانے کے چمچے کے ساتھ پسی دارچینی ایک چوتھائی چائے کا چمچہ۔

دانوں اور جلدی امراض کے لیے
تین کھانے کے چمچے شہد اور ایک چائے کا چمچہ پسی دارچینی کا پیسٹ بنا لیں۔رات سوتے وقت اسے چہرے پر لگایئں اور صبح دھو لیں۔اگر یہ عمل دو ہفتے تک مستقل کیا جائے تو یہ چہرے کے دانوں کو جڑ سے اکھاڑ پھینکتا ہے۔اسکے علاوہ ایگزیمہ ،داد اور جلد کی دوسری بیماریوں کے لیے بھی مجرب نسخہ ہے۔

وزن کو کم کرنے کے لیے
روزانہ صبح ناشتے سے آدھا گھنٹہ پہلے،خالی پیٹ اور رات سونے سے پہلے ،ایک چائے کا چمچہ دارچینی اور ایک کھانے کا چمچہ شہد ایک کپ گرم پانی میں پیئں۔اگر یہ عمل روزانہ کیا جائے تو وزن کم ہو جاتا ہے اور اس کے مستقل استعمال سے جسم میں فاضل چربی بھی نہیں بن پاتی ہے۔

کینسر کے لیے
معدے اور ہڈیوں کے کینسر کے کئی مریض جاپان اور آسٹریلیا میں اس طریقہ علاج سے مستفید ہوئے ہیں۔دواؤں کے ساتھ روزانہ ایک چائے کا چمچہ پسی دارچینی اور ایک کھانے کا چمچہ شہد روزانہ دن میں تین بار لیں۔

بالوں کے جھڑنے میں
روزانہ صبح اور رات میں ایک چائے کا چمچہ شہد اور پسی دارچینی لینے سے بالوں کا جھڑنا بھی رک جاتا ہے۔

انتباہ
کسی بھی چیز کی زیادتی اچھی نہیں ہوتی ہے۔اسلیے بتائے ہوئے طریقوں سے تجاوز نہ کریں۔تحقیق نے یہ بات ثابت کی ہے کہ دارچینی کا تیل ایک مؤثر مچھر مار ہوتا ہے ۔یہ تحقیق بتاتی ہے کہ دارچینی کا بیجا استعمال صحت کے لیے مضر بھی ثابت ہو سکتا ہے۔

Do You Have a Mint?

Bad breath can be a big problem (especially if you’re the one smelling it!) It can cause embarassing moments and bad first impressions. That’s why so many people chew gum. In fact, according the US Census Bureau, Americans eat about 1.8 pounds of gum per capita each year. That may not sound like a lot but think about the size and weight of one piece of gum.

Gum chewing studies have shown many bad effects, such as bloating and hormone and biomechanical imbalances, as well as the habit leading to bruxism and acid reflux ulcers. Many have educated themselves and moved on to mints, but is this any better? After all, most mints are made with artificial sweeteners, so they can claim to be fat free or calorie free. I understand the necessity for fresh breath in a pinch. Most people don’t carry around their tooth brush or mouth wash for a quick refresh. That’s why I’ve come up with several good options, in order from best to worst:

1. Peppermint Breath Drops or Peppermint Essential Oils – Many natural health food stores and anyone who carries essential oils would have these.  One drop is pretty strong and enough to freshen your breath.  Peppermint is also great for digestion.

2. Mouthwash or teeth brushing after meals – I know this isn’t ideal but it is a good option if you have time.

3. Mints or candies that are sweetened with cane sugar instead of artificial sweeteners.  There are even small ginger candies that are not only great breath fresheners but also help after meals with digestion.

4. Gums or mints sweetened with xylitol – This sweetener is a great calorie free option and many popular brands use this ingredient. Careful as some people have trouble digesting xylitol and can lead to stomach discomfort.

5. A piece of regular chewing gum sweetened with sugar. The caloric content many be a little higher, but you are only having a small bit. This is not ideal if you are trying to lose weight and plan on using this option on a daily basis.

And the last possible option is a small piece of artificially sweetened gum every now and then.  The amount in one piece every once in a while is not enough to amount to any dangerous affects.

Coffee: Good or Bad for your Health?

Is your morning coffee an ok option on your healthy eating plan?  If coffee really bad for you or is it actually good?

I get these questions about coffee and health all the time and as a coffee drinker myself, it is smart to take a look at both the good and the bad.

Now, I’m not here to tell you that coffee is good for you. If I did, I would be telling only the good side of the story and I’m no politician. I am here to give you the good and the bad and tell you how you can incorporate your favorite coffee or tea into your healthy meal plan.

The Ugly Side of Caffeine

Most coffee and tea contains a lot of caffeine. This is usually the primary reason people make coffee their drink of choice in the morning. Caffeine is a drug like any other and comes with a long list of side effects. Have you ever tried not having your coffee in the morning? Yeah, pass the Excedrin, right? The headache that comes on when you try and kick this habit can be brutal (just like with other drugs) and creating a dependency and addiction like this is harmful to the body.

Second, coffee is extremely acidic. Our bodies function at optimum levels when they are slightly more alkaline (the opposite of acidic). It is best for us to greatly reduce any foods that will drive our body’s pH to be more acidic and eat more foods that are alkaline (like fruits and veggies). An acidic body pH is like a magnet for all kinds of illnesses. Also, an alkaline body has a much stronger immune system, making illness much less likely.

Last but not least, the caffeine in coffee and tea is abuse to your adrenal glands. Your adrenals release your “fight or flight” hormones basically giving you a nice “boost” when needed. Unfortunately, people who drink coffee all day long are consistently beating on their adrenals. This is the equivalent of whipping a tired horse even when he is exhausted. Eventually he will not move at all.

The Pretty Side of Caffeine

Coffee tastes oh so yummy and makes me feel great in the morning. (What? Is that not a good enough reason to drink it?)

Many studies have shown that coffee can help in the prevention and treatment of diseases and illnesses as varied as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, liver disease, skin cancer, Parkinsons’s disease and more. Although, I don’t believe coffee would be the cure all to any of these diseases, many ancient cultures did rely on the coffee bean to cure a long list of ailments. Not to mention, small doses of caffeine can increase performance and mental focus.

Green tea is also a great drink to include with a long list of benefits. If nothing else, green tea is a wonderful source of antioxidants which are important in cancer prevention. Green tea has even been found to raise metabolism and aid in fat burning. Before you go take a green tea bath, its effects are really minor when compared to the effects of sound nutrition and exercise plans. Now that I’ve said that, don’t think you can eat junk food and just wash it down with green tea!

What is a coffee and tea drinker to do?

1. Limit your coffee and tea intake to 2 – 8 oz cups per day. No, not 2 of each, 2 total. Any more than that is considered as a heavy addict. (I know. I’ve been there).

2. If you are currently dependent on a lot of caffeine each day, replace 1 or 2 cups of coffee with green tea instead. Green tea has much less caffeine than coffee and will help combat the ugly detox symptoms.

3. Do not jack up your coffee with sugar, milk, syrup and whip cream (So I guess that means no Starbucks, huh?). Use stevia or xylitol to sweeten and avoid all the empty, harmful calories. A teaspoon of half and half won’t hurt either. Please oh please, do not use any of those flavored creamers. They are closer to someone’s chemistry experiment than they are to real food.

4. Make sure to make your food choices healthy. Avoiding other acidic foods like sugar, artificial sweeteners and processed foods will lighten the acid load on the body.

5. Make sure the coffee you drink is organic. Conventional coffee is filled with pesticides and chemicals and should be avoided at all costs.

There is no need to give up your morning coffee but it is important to drink the right types of coffee, without the added unhealthy extras and, as with most things, in moderation.

Ways to Eat Nut Butters

Here are some of my favorite ways to use different nut butters…

1.        Almond Butter with apple sauce with cinnamon sprinkled on top – a great after dinner snack if you’re looking for something sweet.

2.       Almond or Walnut Butter on pretty much any fruit.  My new favorite is almond butter on fresh figs…yummy!

3.       Nut Butter and Apple Butter Sandwich – one of my favorite on-the-go breakfast options.  I use 1-2 tbsp of nut butter and 1 tbsp of apple butter on 2 slices of sprouted grain bread and out the door I go.

4.       Cashew Butter on celery sticks – add a few raisins for a little sweet taste.

5.       Walnut Butter in oatmeal – I mix the walnut butter right into my warm oatmeal.  Sometimes I add 1 tsp of honey as well.

All of these options are a great way to get a ton of healthy fats, especially Omega 3’s, into your daily meal plans.

3 Easy Tips To Lose Fat

Fat loss does not have to be difficult, especially if you have a few tricks up your sleeve.  By this I don’t mean I would ever want you to take a dangerous, radical approach to your fat loss but only one that would be healthy and prove great results at the same time.

I have had many clients, friends and family members ask me, “Isabel, is there a way I can drop my first few pounds of fat quickly and easily?”Yes, there is.  It will require a few dietary changes on your part, but the results are incredible.  I have had hundreds of people use these tips with great success, easily losing their first 10-15lbs of unwanted fat.

Here are my 3 Simple and Easy Fat Loss Rules:

1. Don’t eat anything that is white. Name every single food that is white and chances are you shouldn’t be eating it: bread, pasta, crackers, most cereals, flour based products, white potatoes, white rice, and pasteurized dairy and cheese are all no-no’s during this time.  (Healthy foods like cauliflower, chicken, turkey, fish, white pork are all exceptions to this rule).

2. Only drink water, NOTHING else! How about coffee? Just to keep any possible withdrawal headaches at bay, one small cup of organic black coffee. Can you add half and half?…Well is it white?  Drink a minimum of 1/2 of your bodyweight in ounces of water each day (ex. If you weigh 200 lbs, you need to drink 100 ounces) to really see the fat fall off.

3. Don’t eat anything with the word wheat in the ingredients list. What if it’s whole wheat? Look, if the word starts with W and ends in T and has the letters h e a in between, you can’t eat it.  This includes bread, pasta, crackers and cereal.  Many packaged snack foods also contain wheat so be sure to read the ingredients list carefully.

Eating Healthy While Traveling

It’s difficult enough these days to maintain a healthy eating plan, let alone keep a healthy diet while traveling.

I am no stranger to maintaining a healthy eating plan while being on the road.  I do a good amount of traveling myself, and my clients and readers are asking me all the time:

“Isabel, I am always on the go. How can I stick to my healthy eating plan and still live my life?”

If your days really have you running around from work, to parties, to picking up kids all over the neighborhood, here are a few strategies that really do work:

1. Make your trunk your refrigerator.

Ok, not literally, but I have known many people (including myself) to keep a small cooler in their trunk at all times. They fill it with healthy goodies at the beginning of the day (raw nuts, fresh fruits and veggies, even hard boiled eggs) along with some ice packs and extra tupperware (just in case) and they’re off for the day. At the end of the day, they empty whatever is left and the ice packs go back in the freezer for the next day. This is also a great way to keep your water bottles nice and cold and not warm from the car heat.

2. Make your supermarket your Fast Food stop.

Instead of a quick trip through the drive thru, run into the local supermarket and pick up an assortment of dried or fresh fruits, healthy trail mixes, fresh veggies and natural peanut or almond butter. Most supermarkets now have wonderful salad bars and prepared foods like grilled chicken and salmon (better than any fast food joint) and healthy sandwich options (be careful with certain condiments like mayo that may be added). Eliminate the fast food joints from your choices of “quick stops” and look for the hot spots in town that offer healthier options.

3. Be the bearer of good food.

When going to a barbecue or social event, always offer to bring something (now I sound like the etiquette police). I always bring something and that something is always healthy. I know, if nothing else, at least I’ve got that to eat (although all of my friends and family know why I do this.  Even if you contribute the healthy and lean beef burgers or turkey burgers, this may deter you from the not-so healthy hot dogs and sausages. Or how about a colorful salad or fruit salad?

4. Find the healthy places all over the world.

Before I go on any trip, I go online and find the closest Whole Foods or Health Food Store. If there are none close by, I find a major supermarket. This doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy myself on vacation (like the Key Lime Pie I enjoyed down South) or when visiting family and friends, but I make sure that all healthy principles do NOT go out the window. I keep it healthy and have a great time! (not one or the other)

There are always great ways to maintain your healthy weight loss plans even if your life has you traveling and on the road quite a bit.

If you’re traveling quite a bit, it’s also important to find easy and simple strategies to maintain your current exercise routine. Here is one of my favorite exercise programs that teaches you how to get the best results in the least amount of time.

Is Milk really Healthy?

Is milk really necessary for an effective weight loss plan?  Do we have to drink our milk each day to get a sufficient amount of calcium?

The answer to both of these questions is NO.  We do not need to drink milk as part of a healthy weight loss plan or to obtain a healthy amount of calcium each day.

Consider the following facts:

1. Americans drink the most milk of any other country, yet we still have the highest rate of osteoporosis.

2. Pasteurization kills off all the necessary digestive enzymes in the milk (This is why so many people are now suffering from lactose intolerance).

3. Pasteurization also makes the major part of the calcium contained in milk insoluble, in other words making 50% of milk’s calcium unusable by the body (This contributing to the high rate of osteoporosis).

4. Milk sugar (lactose) converts into sugar your body uses very quickly, leading to blood sugar highs and lows and an up and down energy rollercoaster ride for you.

How could this all be true? Isn’t milk supposed to do a body good? Well, yes it does, but milk was really only intended to be consumed in its natural state (unpasteurized). Sound scary? Many states in the US and most organic farmers will ONLY drink milk if it’s unpasteurized and they are extremely healthy.

The other fact we need to consider is that most cows are being given an excess of growth hormone just to keep them producing massive amounts of milk. This, in turn, makes them sick, at which time they are given antibiotics. The growth hormone and antibiotics get into their blood stream and then into the milk they produce. Who drinks this chemical laden milk? We do! (Actually, I don’t and maybe you’re starting to consider whether you do).

The next big concern is “How will I get enough Calcium?” As mentioned above, most of the Calcium in milk is not absorbed by the body. More calcium is absorbed from foods such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli, sardines (with bones preferably) and salmon. This makes sense that more calcium come from greens since cows preferably eat grass and they have a lot of calcium inside their bodies (Please don’t eat grass. This really only works for cows).

If reducing your risk for Osteoporosis is your goal, do the #1 activity that prevents this debilitating disease: Exercise! Weight bearing exercise has been shown to be the #1 way to prevent osteoporosis. Putting small stresses on your bones via strength training helps to re-build them stronger. No one, and I mean no one, should be neglecting some exercise into their life.

Here are my tips on drinking the right kind of milk, calcium and preventing osteoporosis:

1. If you consume dairy on a regular basis, try to find raw (unpasteurized) milk. www.realmilk.com is a great resource for this.

2. If the thought of raw milk scares you, purchase the next best thing: certified organic milk products. They will be free of antibiotics and hormones.

3. Since most of milk’s calcium is not absorbed by the body, make sure to get your calcium from these other sources: leafy green veggies, broccoli, sardines (with bones) and salmon.

4. Commit to a strength training routine on a consistent basis. Not just for your muscles and for the way you look in the mirror (although this does help) but for your bone’s sake.

Milk and dairy do not have to be a staple in your diet in order to absorb adequate amounts of calcium and achieve an ideal level of health.  You can establish and extremely healthy way of eating, reach your weight loss goals, and feel great each day without drinking milk.

The Truth About Cholesterol

I am going to let you in on something shocking. Cholesterol is not the major culprit in heart disease. I know this may be hard to believe after all we have heard about the dangers of high cholesterol from our doctors, and the media. But the truth is, it is not the cholesterol levels themselves or the cholesterol containing foods that are the culprits in heart disease, it is those foods and any other thing that causes inflammation in your body that is the major cause of heart disease (as well as diabetes and high blood pressure).

What is cholesterol and why do we need it?

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used to form cell membranes. Cholesterol also aids in the manufacture of bile (which helps digest fats), and is also important for the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E and K. It is the major precursor for the synthesis of vitamin D and of the various steroid hormones (which include cortisol and aldosterone in the adrenal glands, and the sex hormones progesterone, the various estrogens, testosterone, and derivatives ).

How could something so good be so bad?

Cholesterol has been wrongly accused because upon inspection of the arteries of someone at risk for a heart attack, levels of cholesterol and plaque build up are very high. Cholesterol is actually being transported to tissues as part of an inflammatory response that is there to repair damage. It will only lodge itself onto the artery and cause plaque if the artery has become damaged. Inflammation in the artery is what causes this damage. In fact, it is now known that the coronary disease that causes heart attacks is now considered to be caused mostly from chronic inflammation.

To blame cholesterol for heart attacks would be the equivalent of blaming increased police security in a high crime area. It was not the police that caused the crime, they were just placed there in response to the crimes.

A more important question to ask ourselves, is how do we decrease the amount of inflammation in our bodies so that cholesterol will not bind to our arteries?

We must decrease all of those things that we do that cause inflammation and increase things that decrease inflammation. First and foremost we must stay away from foods that cause inflammation in our bodies. Any food that causes a fast rise in blood insulin levels will quickly cause inflammation in the body. These foods are sugar, white breads, most dairy products and almost all packaged and processed foods. What does this leave you with? Fresh, wholesome foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean animal proteins, nuts, and lots and lots of water. Also, taking in lots of omega-3 rich foods will dramatically decrease inflammation in the body (salmon, organic eggs, walnuts and sardines).

What about your cholesterol medication?

Some may be thinking, it is just easier to take a pill and not have to change what I am eating. But you may want to think twice considering the side effects of statins (cholesterol lowering drugs). The most common side effects reported are fatigued, headaches, nausea and the most common of them all, severe muscular pains and muscular degeneration. If you remember that cholesterol is essential for the formation of cell membranes, taking a drug that is drastically lowering cholesterol may be causing membrane damage in neural and muscle tissue. Most people on statins complain of neck, back or leg pain.

Millions of Americans are now on cholesterol lowering drugs, but the number of people suffering from heart attacks and heart disease is only increasing. Let’s take a personal responsibility for our health and truly get to the root of the problem. Managing your diet and staying away from those foods that are causing an inflammatory response in your body is your first step to decreasing your chance of heart disease and heart attacks.